Improvement in ditching-machines



U ITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

ORSON FOSTER- AND OSCAR S. FOSTER, OF DURHAMVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DITCI- IING-MACHINES.

" Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,947, datedOctober 8,1872.

OSCAR S. FOSTER, of Durhamville, in the county of Oneida and State ofNew York, have invented an Improvement in Ditching-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification': I

This invention relates to that class of machines used for ditching fordrain-tile; and consists in a ditching spade ,or excavator, adirt-remover that removes the dirt from the spade, and devices forfeedingthe machine along, with the mechanism for operating these severaldevices. The invention consists more particularly in an improvedconstruction and arrangement of the parts for operating the spade,whereby it is made to work freely, and has greater elasticity inyielding to large stones or other obstructions 5 also, in amovablecolter that is thrown out at the edge of the spade at each stroke toloosen stone and hard earth;

also, in operating the scraper in its discharging movement by a spring,by which a very sudden and rapid movement is obtained for itsdischarge,as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a sectional side view. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section takenbelow the drivinggears in Fig. 1, and shows the construction andarrangement of the parts for operating the scraper. Fig. 3 is a detailview.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

The machine is operated by the sweep S, and is fed forward as the workprogresses by a windlass, G, as ordinarily. E is the drivingshaft, and cF the gear-wheels, the vertical gear F making two revolutions to eachrevolution of the sweep, and said gear havinga crank, f, that isattached to and drives the spade by a connecting-rod, D. The spade A issuspended by a pivot, c, to a horizontal beam, B, one end of which ispivoted to the framework at G, and its other end is provided with ananti-friction roller, b, that travels on the upper side of the drivingbeam or connection I). In the position shown the crank f is passin gdownward, and the spade is reaching back and downward for a cut orstroke. It will be seen that the crank f and the spade are near thebackward point of reach, and that in this position the spade is loweredconsiderably as the crank allows the beam B to fall, and that as thespade is started on its forward stroke it is held down by the weight ofthe beam B, and is not elevated until the crank has made a halfrevolution, when the beam B again comes in contact with theconnecting-beam D. By these means the spade is held more elevated on itsbackward stroke, until it is near the end of that stroke, and, as theend 11 of the beam B is always free to rise, the spade can be forced upby any obstruction that it does not overcome. A tooth or colter, H, isplaced in the standard of the spade, so as to slide therein, and is madeto project from the point of the spade at each digging stroke, andwithdrawn as the spade reaches back. This colter, a detail view of whichis shown by Fig. 3, has a slotted head, h, and makes connection with thebeam D by a projection, I, from said beam engaging with its slottedhead; and as the beam D changes its angle with relation to A the colteris forced out or withdrawn at the different points of stroke, and bythis means the power of the spade to loosen and bring out stone ismaterially increased, and hard earth is also loosened by it, so that thespade cuts freely. The colter can be forked at its lower end, so astopresent two teeth instead,

of one; but, as such construction tends to weaken the spade, we preferthe single tooth, as shown. J, in Fig. 2, is the scraper; it is attachedto a rod or beam, j, that has an endwise movement across the machine,one of its ends sliding in a guide, K, and the other being carried on aswinging rod, 70, that is pivoted at its forward end to the frame-work.The scraper is returned to its position'before the excavator or spade Aby arms M that project from the main shaft E, these arms actingalternately upon the swinging rod 70 as the shaft E revolves; and on itsdischarging stroke the scraper is thrownwith a sudden movement by aspring, L, that connects with the rod k by a strap, l. by one of thearms M it is retained by a pawl until the arm has revolved out of theway for its sudden movement. This pawl engages with the rod j, and isattached to the short arm of a lever, N, that is pivoted to theframework at n, and said pawl is released at the proper time by a pin,1, that projects from the spade-standard, coming in contact with theWhen the scraper is returned holds this pawl engaged until released, asbefore described. The machine is mounted on four small wheels, V, asusual, and its height is regulated by crank-axles T T. The windlass G,for feeding the machine forward, is op erated by a crank, 0, Fig. 1,said crank acting upon a lever, WV, that connects with the Windlass by apawl, as shown. This crank O is adjustable in length, to regulate thespeed of the machine, as desired, and the arms MM, that return thescraper, are also adjustable in length, as shown. I

This machine, digging to a depth of thirty inches, is in practicaloperation and works .well, taking out stone as large as the width of theditch will permit, and leaving the ditch in a well-finished state.

We claimscribed.

ORSON FOSTER. OSCAR S. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

.ELIsH N. KELsEY, KELsEY O. SKADEN.

